GLASGOW, Scotland:

Young British-born Jamaican swimmer, Zara Bailey, is fresh from her A level examinations, but she will face another test inside the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, when competition starts tomorrow at the 20th Commonwealth Games.

Bailey, who is getting set for the most important two months of her life, is also set to move Stateside to the Ohio State University, where she will take up a full scholarship to swim for the Buckeyes.

Born in Petersborough, England, to Jamaican father Owen Bailey, the 17-year-old, who at seven years old told a teacher that she will represent Jamaica at the Commonwealth Games, can hardly wait to get started.

"It's going to be such a busy two months for me, but I'm so excited," Bailey beamed after a training session at the event venue yesterday. "I really want to do well, I am ecstatic to be representing Jamaica."

"It's been my dream since I was seven and here I am, I am very happy," smiled Bailey, who competed at the Carifta Championships earlier this year.

Bailey barely missed out on competing for the island at the 2012 Olympic Games, as her B qualifying standard time was not enough to get her in because of the quota being exhausted.

Still, that experience did little to discourage the youngster, who went back in the pool and worked hard at meeting all standards for these Commonwealth Games, with one eye already on the next Olympics in Rio in two years time.

"I was definitely disappointed by missing the Olympic Games and that's why I am working hard to get an A standard for Rio because I really want to go and that's why I did my best to ensure that I qualified for the Commonwealth Games," she added.

Here, her objective is to better her personal bests and hope that will be enough to propel her to a final or two.

I want to do my best, get some personal bests and hopefully make a final. The personal best is most important to me because it will show that I am moving in the right direction and actually progressing," Bailey noted.

Bailey will compete in the 100m breaststroke, 200m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.

-A.L.